Leopard's Heart by Kimberly A. Rogers

I’m delighted to have Kimberly A. Rogers as my guest today. Kimberly has just released the first full-length novel in her Therian Way urban fantasy series, Leopard’s Heart.

DeAnna: So tell us a little bit about yourself.
Kimberly: Thanks for having me here. I’m a graduate student at Liberty University working on a Master of Religious Education. Other than that I spend most of my days (or nights) writing.

DeAnna: You’re a night person like me. So when did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?
Kimberly: I’ve been writing for years. I first dabbled in writing stories when I was very young, eight or nine, but I didn’t decide to pursue a writing career until I was about sixteen.

DeAnna: That’s wonderful training for becoming an author. Now tell us about Leopard's Heart. That cover is just gorgeous!
Kimberly: Leopard’s Heart is Book One of The Therian Way. It picks up about five months after the events of the prequel, Tiger’s Paw, and deals with the aftermath. The main focus is on the hunt for assassins who are targeting the American president and also dealing with the rising tensions between pureblood Therians and those who are Elf-born, all of which contribute to the threat of revealing the existence of the Therian Way. However, Baran and Raina’s relationship with each other since they keep getting thrown together is also an important piece of the plot.

DeAnna: I really enjoyed reading the book. The interaction of your hero and heroine is intriguing and complex and often hilarious. Where did you get your inspiration for the book?
Kimberly: I always loved the idea of dealing with hidden races and the problems faced by the very strict and stoic character when paired with the wild, devil-may-care character. Leopard’s Heart deals with the complications of the situation when being addressed by these two very different characters who are also stubborn, unwilling to give ground, and definitely unwilling to admit if they start to care about each other (the horrors!).
Baran and Raina are polar opposites in a lot of ways but they have an awesome dynamic together that I love working with in stories. They don’t make things easy for each other, themselves, or me, but they’re definitely worth the crazy ride.

DeAnna: What do you hope readers remember from this story?
Kimberly: I hope they remember the characters. Baran and Raina have a journey together that is strengthened or weakened by their own choices but they also are determined to do the right thing no matter the sacrifice required.

DeAnna: What is your favorite scene/chapter from the book?
Kimberly: Oh that’s a tough question. However, I think there is one scene in particular that I love a little bit more than the others. Well, it’s actually a short chapter. It’s in Raina’s POV, which we did not have in the prequel, and it is a dinner scene with Baran after they’re returning from the Elven capital. I love the humor displayed in this scene with their teasing each other because Baran rarely gets in on the teasing action and it’s one of the places where we really see the potential for them when they’re not at loggerheads with each other.

DeAnna: That was a great scene. They’re so cute together. What inspires you to write?
Kimberly: There are always stories that need to be told, reminders of the light in the darkness. I love telling those stories. I can’t not write but I always want my stories to provide a refuge, a place where good triumphs over evil even when the world seems the opposite, a reminder of how God works through people in smaller ways as well as the big, sweeping miracles. For the Therian Way, in particular, I love taking the idea of shapeshifters and Elves and other creatures and monsters from myth and legend and plunking them in the middle of a world similar to our own. The “what if” factor is wonderful. And, I love providing a clean option for Christians who enjoy urban fantasy stories with adventure and romance and plot twists but don’t want to deal with the objectionable content that often shows up in secular stories.

DeAnna: Now that you’ve gone through the independent publishing process, what advice would you give writers who are just getting started?
Kimberly: Don’t give up. Finish the story. Don’t worry about making the first draft perfect. All you need to do is write the story, then you can go back over it and tweak or add or hack what you need. The most important thing is to get your story written. As I’m often told by my writing buddy, “You can’t fix nothing.” One more thing: Write what you love. I know everyone says it but it’s true. If you’re not passionate about your story and you’re only writing it because it’s the current trend, you’re doing yourself a disservice. Writing what you don’t care about is a chore and it shows in your work. Trust me. I’ve read enough books that I’ve seen the difference between stories the author was passionate about and those he or she wrote because it was required.

DeAnna: That’s very true. If you’re enjoying the story, your readers probably will, too. And what are you are working on now?
Kimberly: Right now, I’m working on several projects. First, I’m working on Wolf’s Path: Book Two of The Therian Way. I’m very excited about this one since Baran and Raina are going after the infamous Beast of Bray Road, which is one of my favorite cryptid legends. I’m also working on two fantasy romances: One deals with Centaurs and partially based off the book of Ruth, which has an excerpt in the back of Leopard’s Heart. The other is a medieval-esque fantasy romance, which is inspired in part by the legend of Cupid and Psyche as well as a touch of The Phantom of the Opera.

DeAnna: I’m always amazed at your productivity. Is there ever a time you’re not writing? If there is, what do you like to do?
Kimberly: Reading, of course. But, I also enjoy hand crafts such as knitting, crocheting, and cross stitch.

DeAnna: I love needlework, too! Where can readers find you on the internet?
Kimberly: They can find me on Twitter, my blog where I talk writing and also review fantasy books, and on facebook at my author page where I share news about sales and also share snippets of my works-in-progress. The links are below.
Thank you once again, DeAnna, for the opportunity to share about my book today. Now, please enjoy the interviews with Baran and Raina. They actually behaved themselves this time.

DeAnna: Oh, Baran’s rather formidable, isn’t he? So tell me, Baran, why are you such a stickler for the rules?
Baran: Because the rules are what protect us and everyone else who lives in our world. We’re Therians, we must keep ourselves from acting on animal instincts alone. Our code of life, the Therian Way, is the safeguard that prevents this loss of control if we adhere to it. Straying beyond the rules is very dangerous, not only to the one straying but also to the innocents around him or her. If we lost control and revealed our true natures to humans, we would not only be endangering our entire race through exposure but we could harm the people around us. That is why the rules are important. That is why I make it my practice to follow them as closely as possible.

DeAnna: That seems wise. And what is a perfect day for you?
Baran: A day without Fringe threat or disruptions. A day where I can fulfill my duties without anyone causing trouble and extra work.

DeAnna: You’re definitely all business, aren’t you? But I bet the right girl can bring out your fun side, too. What kind of mate are you looking for? Or are you too busy for that sort of thing?
Baran: I most certainly do not have the time to search for a mate. However, I would hope that she is a woman of honor and appreciates the Therian Way for its true purpose, especially if she is an Elf-born Therian and not pure Elven.

DeAnna: Good qualities. What about Raina? What do you really think of her?
Baran: If she could bring herself to adhere to proper protocol for more than five minutes, she would be far more tolerable. However, she has her own code of honor, which I respect . . . even if it’s not as closely tied to the Therian Way as I think it should. She is one of the more reasonable Trackers I have worked with despite her tendency to treat matters with far more levity than the situation calls for.

DeAnna: Well, thank you for chatting with me. Now, Raina, it’s your turn. Tell me why you like your job? What don't you like about it?
Raina: I like being able to help people and protect those can’t protect themselves. *rolls her eyes* Oh, that’s an easy one. All that paperwork. It’s worse with joint missions, especially if the TDS is involved.

DeAnna: Oh, yes, the TDS. “Tall, dark and serious.” That describes Baran perfectly. Now how would you describe your ideal mate?
Raina: He would be protective, caring, a man of honor, trustworthy and (glances sideways at Baran) have a decent sense of humor.

DeAnna (also glancing at Baran): Well, good luck with that. He seems serious and sometimes a little bit angry. You generally seem more lighthearted. What makes you angry?
Raina: Having my family threatened, being accused of not following the Way just because I don’t follow every little bylaw to the letter, not being able to help someone because they refuse to be helped, and being manipulated. Oh, almost forgot, and being disrespected just because I’m not a pureblood Therian or because I’m a Tracker and not a soldier.

DeAnna: Sooooo . . . what do you really think of Baran?
Raina (smirking): Well, he’s a bit of a stick in the mud when it comes to rules and regulations and the whole proper protocol thing. But he does have his good points. He’s honorable and protective. He could use a sense of humor transplant, though.

DeAnna: Maybe yours will rub off on him. Thanks for talking to me, Raina and Baran. Thank you Kimberly for visiting the Inkwell, and best wishes on your new series and your writing career. You’re off to a wonderful start!

Leopard’s Heart: Book One of The Therian Way
An assassination attempt on the American president threatens to expose the existence of Therians to the Human world. Baran knows that the Fringe have become bold. In a race to find the next assassin before he strikes, Raina and Baran must travel from Washington D.C. to the Elven capital hidden in the Smokey Mountains.

Rising tensions between Therians who respect the centuries-old alliance with the Elves and Fringe sympathizers who clamor to sever all ties between the two peoples make the case and Baran's relationship with Raina even more difficult to navigate. Circumstances have forced them together, but is it only duty that drives his actions? Does Raina's heart belong to her old childhood sweetheart or is the Leopard's heart still to be won?
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Leopards-Heart-Book-One-Therian-ebook/dp/B0175P0WFA

Tiger’s Paw: A Novella – Prequel to The Therian Way
What if history didn’t quite play out the way we know it? What would stay the same? What would change? Even in a world where Elves and Humans coexist, there are secrets. Not all the old legends are accurate, but neither are they false. Hidden among the Humans are the Therians, those gifted with the ability to shift into beasts. How long they will remain unseen by Human eyes depends on how well they adhere to their code of life and honor – The Therian Way.

When secrecy is vital to survive among Humans and Elves, the Therian Way offers balance. The Fringe, a militant group of discontented Therians, threaten to expose their race to Mankind. It falls to General Baran to track down and remove the Fringe Nest before time runs out. Who can he trust when the fate of his people lies in the Tiger’s paw?
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Tigers-Paw-Novella-Therian-Way-ebook/dp/B00ZDDQIYG

Kimberly A. Rogers writes in-depth reviews of Christian and secular fantasy as well as articles for Christian fantasy writers at her blog So You Want to Write Christian Fantasy? Of course, only when not in the midst of writing papers and taking exams in the pursuit of her Masters in Religious Education. Kimberly lives in Virginia where the Blue Ridge Mountains add inspiration to an over-active imagination originally fueled by fantasy classics such as the works of C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien.


Twitter: https://twitter.com/karogersauthor
Facebook Author Page:  https://www.facebook.com/Kimberly-A-Rogers-978024802257372/
Blog: https://kimberlyrogerscfwriter.wordpress.com/
Goodreads Series Page: https://www.goodreads.com/series/165568-the-therian-way

Scripture Pic: Exodus 23:27b

Cherry Blossoms in the Storm

Today I'd like to welcome Bob and Gail Kaku, a husband and wife writing
duo, whose first historical novel, Cherry Blossoms in the Wind has
just released. I had the pleasure of participating in a critique group with
Bob and I can attest that this story is fascinating. The authors are close
enough to the subject matter that they bring an unmistakeable ring of
authenticity to the tale as they explore the different experiences of
Japanese Americans in World War II. 

Here's a short synopsis of the story:

Caught in the cataclysm of World War II, three Japanese American
brothers find their lives turned upside down. Akira Omura, the eldest,
is trapped in Japan in the aftermath of Pearl Harbor and is later forced
to serve in the Japanese army. Complicating matters is a love triangle 

between Akira, his beautiful fiancée, Emiko, and her former suitor,
Hiroshi Yamada.

In the United States, anti-Japanese hysteria runs rampant on the West
Coast, and the family is forced to evacuate from their home to a
temporary incarceration facility at Santa Anita Racetrack in Southern
California and then later imprisoned in an internment camp at Heart 

Mountain, Wyoming. Life behind barbed wire is brutal and 

de-humanizing conditions. Middle brother, Tad, believes the only 

hope for freedom is to serve in the U.S. Army. Youngest 

brother, Danny, fiercely protests against the government’s plan to 

draft Japanese American men while their families are still imprisoned, 

and ends up in a federal penitentiary.

All three brothers have their spiritual mettle tested. Akira in Japan 

introduces his fiancée to Christianity, which is essentially illegal in 

wartime Japan, and the Kempeitai (secret military police) persecute 

Christians for their faith.  Tad prays for the wounded on the 

battlefield and leads some men to the Lord. Danny drifts away from 

his faith.  When he discovers the woman he loves is dying from 

tuberculosis,  he desperately cries out to God. She receives a 

miraculous healing and he rediscovers his faith.  The Omura brothers 

traverse oceans and the even wider chasms of prejudice, hatred, and 

separation from loved ones, risking their lives to seek freedom and 

hope for the future.

Genre: Historical Fiction (World War II)

Published by Majesty House 2015

364 pages

Why I wrote this book?

World War II continues to be remembered as a significant epoch in 

United States history. Seventy years later, the war continues to evoke 

emotional responses from not only those who experienced it, but also 

from succeeding generations who have studied and understood its 

indelible imprint on humankind.

We’re proud of our heritage. We wrote this novel to honor the Nisei—

second generation—and Issei—first generation—Japanese Americans.  

They lived through a time of extreme prejudice and discrimination, 

even before World War II.  Unlike immigrants from Western and 

Northern Europe, Issei were not allowed to become naturalized 

American citizens. They were also prohibited from purchasing land 

in California, although some got around this restriction by acquiring 

land under the title of their American-born children.  Employment 

opportunities were extremely limited as well. Bob knew an older 

Japanese American man who had graduated with an engineering

 degree from MIT in the 1930s. However, this man became a landscape 

gardener. No company would offer him an engineering job, because he 

was Japanese American.

While there are many nonfiction books about the lives of Japanese 

Americans during WWII, there aren’t many novels. Recently, there 

have been a few published, such as Bridge of Scarlet Leaves by 

Kristina McMorris, whose mother is Japanese.

To my knowledge, we know of no other similar novels written from 

a Christian perspective. Cherry Blossoms in the Storm is unique.  This 

is important, because statistics show that less than 5% of Japanese 

Americans are Christians. So, we thought why not deliver the Gospel 

message by subtly wrapping it within an entertaining novel. 

In addition, less than 1% of people in Japan are Christians.  I don’t 

know whether this book will ever be translated into Japanese nor 

whether it would be well received in Japan.  I’ll have to see how the 

Lord leads in this area.

Writing a book with your spouse

Writing a book with your spouse is not for the faint-hearted. It’s 

somewhat akin to trying teach your spouse how to drive, if you can 

imagine that.  Cherry Blossoms in the Storm is the third book we’ve 

written together. Giving and receiving critiques to and from your spouse 

can be brutal. When you’re married to your coauthor, the veneer of 

politeness quickly gets rubbed off, and there are some days when you’re 

extremely upset with each other.  I’d like to say, “Don’t try this at home,” 

but then, where else would you try it?

All you can do is to try to be honest without being too mean and try to 

praise your spouse when he or she has written something particularly good.  

And, of course, praying and praying together helps immensely.

The Most Eligible Bachelor Romance Collection - Author Gabrielle Meyer

In 1852, Luke Longley must find a bride by the end of the month, or return East to explain to the mission board why he hasn't married. He hears a single female missionary is working a hundred and fifty miles downriver at Belle Prairie, so he sets out to convince her to marry him. When he arrives at Belle Prairie, he discovers there is not one--but four single ladies--and all of them are eager to marry and stay on the mission field. Now he only has a week to decide which one is right for him.

Four Brides and a Bachelor is inspired by a true story. Years ago I came across a letter written in 1852 by one of the single female missionaries, Miss Harriet Nichols. She wrote about the event and told her brother: "There was romance enough acted here to write as good a story as you will find in any novel." The story is set on Belle Prairie, in central Minnesota, and is named by the French for it's beauty. The actual location is now a county park, and it continues to draw visitors seeking a bit of respite. The land hugs the Mississippi River, and has a profusion of lovely flowers throughout the summer.

My hero is Luke Longley, a missionary who has been in Minnesota Territory for two years. He grew up in the Boston, the son of a prominent minister. His father's congregation kept a close eye on him, and he was chastised for any mistake he made. When he went to college, he rebelled, and his parents were called in to set him straight. He brought shame to his father, and swore he would follow all the rules from that day forward. Now, as a missionary, he's been instructed by the mission board to find a wife--or return east. There is no other option in his mind, but to follow the board's wishes--no matter the cost. His favorite hobby is fly-fishing, which he does on the river every day. He's much rather be fishing than courting four prospective brides! He travels from the Red Lake Indian Mission by birch bark canoe down the Mississippi a hundred and fifty miles to Belle Prairie. It's the only logical mode of transportation for him to reach his destination. If he can get in a little fly-fishing on the way, he considers himself lucky.

My heroine is Sarah Ellis, a brand new missionary at the Belle Prairie Mission in August of 1852. She has just come west, and has learned that she must marry by the end of the year, or she will be forced to return to Massachusetts, to a lonely, bitter father. Sarah is young, and full of zest for missionary life--but she tends to break rules and get herself into trouble. She doesn't set out to break the rules, but can't seem to do anything right. What she doesn't know is that the missionary directors advise Mr. Longley to consider the three other women over Sarah, because she's so young and inexperienced. Besides teaching, Sarah's main job at the mission is to sew, mend, and clean the clothing. Her favorite hobby is horseback riding along the river. She's riding her horse one day when she comes across Mr. Longley fly-fishing...

~*~*~

Gabrielle Meyer lives in central Minnesota on the banks of the Mississippi River with her husband and four young children. As an employee of the Minnesota Historical Society, she fell in love with the rich history of her state and enjoys writing fictional stories inspired by real people and events. Gabrielle can be found at www.gabriellemeyer.com where she writes about her passion for history, Minnesota, and her faith.

www.gabriellemeyer.com
www.Facebook.com/AuthorGabrielleMeyer

www.twitter.com/MeyerGabrielle 

www.pinterest.com/gabriellemeyer/

THE MOST ELIGIBLE BACHELOR ROMANCE COLLECTION

Meet nine men from bygone days who have all the qualities of a true hero and who all the single ladies wish to court—though some are unassuming and overlooked until their worth is revealed. The socialite, the architect, the doctor, the masked vigilante, the missionary, the postmaster, archaeologist, the wealthy widower, and the heir can have their pick of brides, but which one will they choose?

AMAZON - Print and Kindle

BARNES AND NOBLE - Print and Nook